Document endorsers or imprinters find particular utility in financial institutions. For example, it is desirable to imprint the backside of checks as they are processed to indicate such things as the date, institution name and number, guaranteed endorsements, etc. Generally, it is desirable to microfilm all checks that a financial institution processes. The endorsement is normally added to the check after both sides are microfilmed. An example of a rotary microfilm recorder is illustrated in U.S. Ser. No. 955,,666 filed Nov. 27, 1978 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Other information in addition to an endorsement can be placed on the document and such document imprinting would only be limited by the size limitations of the document and endorsing plate.
There are essentially two types of rotary endorsers, a continuous endorser and an intermittent endorser. As its name implies, a continuous endorser is one in which the endorsing die is continuously rotating. An intermittent endorser is one in which the endorsing die operates only when a document is in position to be endorsed.
One problem with the continuous endorser is that the endorsing die is continuously rotating and receiving ink from an ink roller. Some of this ink is transferred to a backing roller which is located on the other side of the document as the document passes through the endorsing area. As the document passes between the endorsing die and the backing roller, streaks or blobs of ink are transferred from the backing roller to the opposite side of the document that is to be endorsed.
Another problem in a continuous endorsing system is that the endorser and its associated drive are continually subject to wear regardless of whether documents are being endorsed or not. Also, the location or positioning of the endorsement on the document is randomly achieved with adjustments not being possible.
Intermittent endorsers which have been available substantially reduced the severity of the above problems but have their own inherent shortcomings. For example, the parts of the endorser are subject to shock or impact loading each time the endorser is started and stopped which tends to shorten the life of the components. Further, the sudden stopping and starting results in a very noisy operative system.
There is, thus, a need to overcome the inherent noise and wear problems due to shock loading so that the advantages of an intermittent endorser can be utilized. The intermittent system can position the location of the endorsement and is an inherently cleaner operative system in that ink is not continuously being applied to the endorsing die.